“It is pretty amazing. There are 70 counties with students in high school and middle school. We sent 27 pieces and three earned awards. There was nothing at the show that you wondered why it was

there,” said Hesston High art instructor Holly Savage.

Each of the artists selected for awards were no surprise to Savage.

“Katrina paid such close attention to all the detail, like the skin on the elephant, the values are just over the top,” said Savage.

Heinrichs said a childhood story inspired her whimsical piece.

“My drawing was based off the French story, “The Little Prince.” I really like the book, and in the book there is a story about a boa eating an elephant. Mine is in graphite and in a realism style,” she said.

Savage said Unruh also worked on a realistic style piece.

“Kelly’s piece is just technically amazing with the medium and the composition. It is something you’re just drawn to when you look at it,” she said.

Unruh said her piece came out of a regular class period.

“It is a charcoal drawing of a motorcycle – a sports bike – and it was originally an assignment for class,” she said.

After weeks of voting by the Hesston business community, Susan Lamb was nominated and chosen as the Hesston Person Of The Year. The announcement came at the annual Chamber Dinner on Tuesday evening.

While not a native Hesstonian, Lamb has worked tirelessly to promote the community. Not only has Lamb embraced the community as a professional, she is a long-time member of the Hesston Womens Civic Club, holds a church membership and has countless friends in Hesston. She has been an influential leader to Hesston residents of all ages as an educator, realtor and Director of the Community Foundation. She has also raised a family of her own in Hesston and has grandchildren continuing her legacy as a Hessonian.

Lamb's many hats - and her passion for our community - has helped take Hesston from ordinary to Extraordinary.

As a realtor Lamb brought families into Hesston as permanent residents, bringing families and children into the fold of the community.

She then challenged those children academically, helping them stretch their minds and embrace new ideas. And, at the Kansas Learning Center For Health, she had The Talk with countless middle school students from across the state, teaching them not only the facts about their bodies, but to not be afraid of the changes or difficult conversations.

On Tuesday evening, Excel Industries was honored by the Hesston Chamber of Commerce as Business of the Year at the Hesston Chamber Banquet.

This year, a representative from each Chamber business nominated a business for consideration by the Board. Excel Industries was selected for the honor.

Excel Industries has experienced major growth in the last two years since the introduction of the Raptor line of mowers for homeowners.

In a recent interview with Paul Mullet, President of Excel Industries, he reported Excel has created hundreds of new jobs, hiring 147 people directly and contracting with 243 more since Oct. 1 of last year.

While Hesston is still locked in the grips of winter and there are no signs of life in lawns, Stone Creek Nursery owner Kirby Martin’s greenhouses are filled with flowers and cuttings.

Meticulously planted pots line the greenhouse floors in neat rows as Martin anticipates the first warm weeks of spring.

“[This] week is when it really hits. We have about half our plant six-packs come in. We’re busy and there are a lot of things we can do before hand. The bigger combo pots are planted and we work our way down to smaller and smaller plants,” he said.

Martin coaxes life and color out of flowers months before shoppers are out looking for spring blooms.

“The last frost is about April 15, give or take a couple weeks. I want to try to have everything in bloom by then. That’s kind of a timing issues,” he said.

While windchills dip below zero, Martin has only two thin layers of plastic and a heating unit between prosperity and disaster.

“Part of it, I can grow things cheaper than I can have them shipped in. But, if it is a really cold winter, my heating bill can run $10,000 to $15,000 a month. That’s where our City has been good to us in keeping gas prices regulated. And, our water bill is cheap compared to Newton,”

With 13 greenhouses on the property, Martin inspects each one every morning. Last year, Martin said, he lost two greenhouses to snow damage.

“The first thing when I come in is walk through every greenhouse. I make sure it is warm, take the covers off the vents and get them ready to go, adjust thermostats, water things that might be really dry, make a list for everyone coming in with what gets planted,” he said.

As the growing season kicks into high gear in late February and early March, Martin rises well before the sun to keep up with his blooming business.

This Agreement is made and entered into as of ________________, 2015, by and between the CITY OF HESSTON, KANSAS, (hereinafter referred to as "Hesston"), and the CITY OF NORTH NEWTON, KANSAS, (hereinafter referred to as "North Newton") for treatment of municipal wastewater received from North Newton, Kansas at the Hesston Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

WHEREAS, Hesston owns and operates a wastewater treatment facility for the benefit of its residents, businesses and industries which facility is located at the WWTP and

WHEREAS, North Newton does not have a wastewater treatment facility and desires to enter into an agreement with Hesston whereby Hesston will take receipt into its wastewater treatment facility for treatment of municipal wastewater generated by commercial facilities, residences and industries within North Newton; and

WHEREAS, Hesston's wastewater treatment facility will have the capacity to treat normal municipal wastewater loadings and flows from North Newton as provided below; and

WHEREAS, the parties hereto enter into this agreement in all good faith and agree to work together so as to implement its terms in a reasonable and cooperative manner.

NOW THEREFORE, the parties, intending to be legally bound hereby and in consideration of the terms, provisions and covenants herein contained, do agree as follows:

1.Definitions. For the purposes of this Agreement, the words, terms, and abbreviations used herein shall be the meanings, unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, as set out and defined in Article 3. Sewers of Chapter XV utilities of the Code of the City of Hesston, Kansas, as amended from time to time.

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